Japanese airlines ground Boeing 787

A pair of Japanese airlines have grounded their Boeing 787 aircraft after a problem forced an emergency landing.

On Wednesday, an All Nippon Airways 787 made an emergency landing at Takamatsu Airport in Japan. A battery problem and a burning smell in the cockpit was apparently responsible for the emergency landing, according to a CBS News report.

The emergency landing is the latest problem for the Boeing 787. Several Boeing 787 aircraft have experienced problems, including a crack in a cockpit window, a fuel leak and an electrical fire.

“ANA is currently looking at the condition of the malfunction,” the airline said in a statement. “ANA is temporarily halting the operation of the same type of aircrafts until we confirm the operational safety.”

Another Japanese carrier, Japan Airlines, also grounded its Boeing 787 aircraft. “Safety is of utmost importance to Japan Airlines and going forward, we will continue to ensure that every departing aircraft meets all safety standards before flight operations,” Japan Airlines said in a statement.

Known as Dreamliners, the Boeing 787 entered commercial service in 2011, following a number of delays during the production process. Earlier this month, the Federal Aviation Administration said it is launching a “comprehensive review” of the plane.

The federal review will include a look at “critical systems, including the design, manufacture and assembly,” the FAA said. “The purpose of the review is to validate the work conducted during the certification process and further ensure that the aircraft meets the FAA’s high level of safety.”

The federal agency did not order any of the aircraft grounded during the review. United Airlines is the only domestic airline that operates the 787.

Before it was certified, technical experts from the FAA logged 200,000 hours of work on the aircraft, which “completed the most robust and rigorous certification process in the history of the FAA,” Boeing said. Boeing said it would cooperate with the federal probe.

Todd DeFeo loves to travel anywhere, anytime, taking pictures and notes. An award-winning reporter, Todd revels in the experience and the fact that every place has a story to tell. He is owner of The DeFeo Groupe and also edits Express Telegraph and Railfanning.org.